Les chevaliers du ciel (Sky Fighters)

[pro-bassoonist]

Gérard Pirès' Les chevaliers du ciel a.k.a Sky Fighters (2005) has received a preliminary date for the Gallic markets: January 6th.

Variety:

It's always good to know that dedicated and courageous men and women are protecting us (or at least, France) from evil, and that's the subtext of "Sky Fighters," a Gallic answer to "Top Gun." Widely pre-sold at Cannes -- apart from, notably, North America and the U.K. -- silly but satisfying big-budgeter could theoretically fly in any territory where men's men and ballsy chicks attract paying customers. Pic opens Nov. 9 in Gaul in some 500 prints, and appears to have the right stuff for encouraging local numbers.

Helmer Gerard Pires loves fluid camera moves and snappy editing, two factors that help make the far-fetched but rollicking yarn feel strangely pertinent and almost plausible. Blend of human motivations and cartoon sensibilities works.

Script's male fantasies also make women look good. Although there are only four dames in the entire movie, we're talking two fighter pilots, an international arms dealer and a high-level government official. If the government babe can only fly to diplomatic hot spots in spike heels, and the visiting American fighter pilot happened to pay her way through school by dancing in a strip bar, so be it. (Latter also selflessly demonstrates this talent in order to boost morale.)

Action gets under way at a U.K. air show where French-speaking British arms dealer Mrs. Redgrave (Fiona Curzon) is conspicuous. Gallic military aviation officials have planned a demonstration of their latest plane that, just this once, will show off its fancy maneuvers fully fueled and fully armed. But in mid-demonstration, the plane suddenly heads off to parts unknown.

Enter Capt. Antoine "Walk 'N" Marchelli (Benoit Magimel) and Capt. Sebastien "Fahrenheit" Vallois (Clovis Cornillac), on patrol for the French Air Force. In the first of many nicely staged flight sequences, Marchelli ignores an order to hold his fire and blows the escaped E40 million ($47 million) airplane out of the sky.

The two men maintain that the plane's (now-dead) renegade pilot overtly threatened them; the highest levels of government are both unconvinced and furious. Hard-as-nails government rep Maelle Coste (Geraldine Pailhas) and smooth-but-shady Bertrand (Philippe Torreton) investigate.

They reveal that, since 9/11, strategists suspect the next advance in international terrorism will entail swiping state-of-the-art fighter jets. The air show was merely a controlled exercise to see if such a scenario might work. Or so they say.

Marchelli is bounced from the air force, and Vallois resigns in solidarity. But the government soon needs them to land a contract that will save 15,000 French aviation jobs in a race over hostile (and photogenic) airspace that will pit the French aircraft against its commercial rival. Also in the race is Capt. Estelle "Pitbull" Kass (Alice Taglioni), a kickass blonde who was once romantically involved with Marchelli.

Airborne action looks like a million bucks, and the film fully exploits the wisdom -- pioneered in the 1927 aerial classic, "Wings" -- that clouds and scenery are essential to make planes in flight look convincing onscreen. Production enjoyed the full co-operation of the French Air Force and, per press notes, all flying sequences were filmed without digital trickery.

That's how it looks. It's not every day four 35mm cameras are mounted on a Mirage 2000 capable of hitting 50,000 feet at the speed of sound. (Interestingly, Pires has stated in interviews that only good old celluloid-fueled cameras could withstand the brutal temperature changes.)

Pic is top-heavy with outstanding Gallic thesps enjoying themselves in pure popcorn fare. The corridors-of-power branch is fashioned from sturdy, unsmiling cardboard; the flyboys and girls are made of jaunty reinforced cardboard; and the baddies are made of recycled cardboard.

Finale over the Champs-Elysees during the Bastille Day military parade -- with "25 heads of state" in attendance -- is both fun to watch as well as a reminder of how rarely aerial photography of Paris is authorized. Film's reported budget was $23 million.

Camera (color, widescreen), Pascal Lebegue; editor, Veronique Lange; music, Chris Corner; production designer, Jean-Pierre Fouillet; costume designer, Chattoune; sound (Dolby Digital), Lucien Balibar, Ken Yasumoto, Selim Azzazi, Jean-Paul Hurier, Marc Doisne; aerial camera, Eric Magnan, Eric Dumage; casting, Nathalie Cheron. Reviewed at Gaumont Champs-Elysees, Paris, Sept. 16, 2005. Running time: 102 MIN.

Pro-B

[sokh1985]

I've seen it's already available in Germany on Amazon for 11euros.

Wonder if it's region locked...

[ng3]

The German come wo English sound track and sub title.. stated region B
QUOTE=sokh1985;2557358]I've seen it's already available in Germany on Amazon for 11euros.

Wonder if it's region locked...[/QUOTE]